west and kicking up a bad sea up the channel. “Head for Pismire.” said Joe. when they had reached the light and were reaching for the Garden Island channel. “We'll get right over to Hog Island and attend to them bass, then work back under the lee of Garden where our own nets are.” “It'll be blowing before noon,’’ said Mary. “Let her blow,” and Bowery grinned as he primed the pump. “I’ll give yc some oilskins in a minute—hello! Look who’s yonder." The girl glanced off to port, where a gray speck was creeping in through the channel 'toward them. At her cruestion, Bowery chuckled. “It’s the Icelander—he’s been over to High Island, settin’ nets in from the blow." Hia pump ing doife, Bowery brought oilskins for the girl and took the helm him self. Mary Boyle marveled, for Bow ery was sitting beside her, talk ing and laughing, and hardly tak ' ing his blue eyes from her face; yet the boat was like a horse that feels the hand of a master on the reins. Bowery held well out beyond pis mire which was a mere treestud ded dot of sand, and at the spar buoy came about for the end of Hog Island reef. Two miles north of Beaver was Garden Island, and due east of that was Hog, with Pismire down below and between them. All Inside this triangle, and outside it here and there, was shoal water, studded with boulders and long reefs, so that a man would have heavy sorrow on his hands if he took a boat hereabouts, and he all ignorant of the channels. The Kleanor was soon past the Hog reef and rounding up for Hog Island, while behind them the Ice lander drew In and vanished be hind Pismire. They came into Belmore bay, and Bowery shut off the engine and stood up with the hook, as she drifted before the waves. A heavy r-a it was, too, so that the boat pitched high and rolled wide: down came the hook and pulled up the slimy black net, and over the side leaned Bowery, arms under water, an he hauled in until he came to the trip rope, and so loosed It and the next moment he was at the trap and loosed the cord and had the bass under his fingers. A box of the big bass they had there, and that was 150. Mary throwing the small ones back. That was two hours gone and 12 miles behind them, when Bowery threw over the fly wheel and pointed west for Garden Island and his own nets. There was a scud of mist and gray slime that hid Garden from sight, so Bowery got out his compass >nd laid It between the feet of him, and laughed into Mary's eyes. "It'll be storm by afternoon," said Mary, taking the tiller, her cheeks flushed with the sharp wind. "Hear the fog whistle from Souaw Island driftin’ on the gale? I-et her blow.” Bowery's rich laugh broke out. "We'll be drinkin' cof fee with old Nels, and if ye don't like the weather he'll take ye home in his big tug, Mary." "Oh. will he?" She laughed hack at him, "Speak for yourself, Kddip Bowery! I'm satisfied where I am " It was an hour or more before they picked up the Harden shore and Bowery got his bearings; then there were the n#ts to be got In. and the trajm to he opened, and the lines to tie knotted again under the water. Because Mary was with him Bowery had brought boxes for the fish, and he ntaeked them up for ward with the tubs of nets atop them. "Four hundred pound and that's a hundred and twenty." said Bow ery. as ho took the tiller and head • d for the Dnnea’ rove. "1,1sten to the wind howl outside! It'll b« sweet work erossin' the channel back to Beaver!" "And you soaked to the waist," said Mary, "How long will it be. Kddie. before the life will go out of your lilg shoulders?" "Never, praise ho!" said he, and laughed out. "Dad's near 70, he— and has he ever said a word o' rheumatism? Not him. The Oalle ghers are a tough lot.” Near noon they came Into the lit tle cove midway the east side of Harden, where old Nels and his two sons had held ground for JO years. There were the three pf them mend In* nets by the Ice shed, and their big, fast boat at the dock. A hearty greeting they had from Nels and Pete and Ole, and all trooped up together to the house under the singing cedars. Now there was lauglng of women and killing of chickens, while the good lieer that Nela brewed was fetched In. with heady nandcherry wine for the table. Coffee, parched black and made strong, and new bread hot from the oven, and butter gold en from the churn: never was a better or more open to all table than the Danes set forth when vis Hors came. Hut it was neither beer nor wine that held Bowery Hallegher's spirits high. When the cigars and pipes were lighted and the dishes clear ed off, Mary spoke up. "My mother wanted me to bring home two of your big red hens and a rooster with them, if you could spare them,” said she. "Ja, sure!" said old Nels. and rose up from his seat. "Aye see dem birds down to de ice house— You come?” So they went out. while Bowery was telling about the fine French barometer that he won from De laney in a crap game. It was a cry from old Nels that brought them out. as he came stag gering up among the trees, and blood black In his matted whiskers. "Dot Icelander;-’ he yelled. "He’s ban take her--" Bowery was the first down to the dock with old Nels and the boys and the women all streaming after him. The boat of Gisli Gislison was ‘‘Ye’ll not catch him," yelled Pete. “Nor will we!" “Go after him, you and Ole!” roared out Bowery Gallegher, throw ing off his lines. "Go after him in your own boat, for I’ll stop him or drown doin' it!” The two boys Jumped to their big boat, and when Bowery headed out of the cove he looked back to see her following. Then he set the tiller, and laid old Nets against It, while he poured oil into the engine and screwed down the cups over the bearings. He peered at the boat ahead, see ing that she was low in the water and steady as a rock. ’’He’ll circle into the channel, knowing well that few men would follow him that way—’’ Bowery muttered. He came back to the tiller and headed in along the Garden shore. He knew that Gislison must travel heading out to clear the boulders, with never • soul showing aboard her. Once she lurched and yawed about, then righted to her course, and Bowery knew that Mary had done her best In that moment and could do no more. Me stood gazing, while old Nels c ried out how the Iclander had leaped on him and struck him down, and had lifted Mary aboard and gone. Bowery crooked his finger at the two boys. "Give me a hand here." said he. and the three of them lifted out the nets and the boxes of fish to the dock. Then Bowery lifted old Nels In his arms and carried him to the boat, dropping him in the stem. Bowery stood in Ihr boat below. "Jump for B!” said be, and Mary jumped. two tegs of a triangle, so he him self was talcing the third leg across the shoals and through Stony Reef, though it was six years since he had taken a boat that scary way. t ■ . • . Bowery filled the gas tank, heaved the rest of the spare gasoline over board, and followed it with every thing he could tear loose except the life belts. Then he came back Into the stem. Under the drive of the spray old Nels had come bark to life and was lifting his red, dripping whiskers over the rail to see. “Ye ban fool!” he sang out. “Not wan foot water on de reef!” "There'll be less than that under us when we get there,” said Bow ery. as he threw down a life belt beside Nels. He took the tiller while Nels got his arms into the belt and tied the straps. The alow time dragged along, and now they were past the eastern Up of Garden and heading for Stony Reef ahead. Kven here In shelter of the reef the waves ran high. "Ye'll not catch him!” yetted old Nels. "He ain't around Pismire yet —we got him!” sang out Bowery. “Mind the titter while I con the way." He went leaping forward to the bow, where he stooped and threw out the life belts in a loose mass. then stood up on the prow watch ing the boulder-strewn water ahead. Straight for Stony Reef they drove, a long line of shoal running out from Garden Inland and ending off tc the left in two shallow sand spits where the wates burst high. The Eleanor wallowed over the •boaI water, and began to zigzag back and forth, with Bowery stand ing up on the tossing prow and putting out his arms to right or left, while old Nels shoved ISs weight against the tiller. A wild yell came from Bowery as he sighted the Icelander’s boat at last. Back aft came Bowery, pausing at the engine to pour in oil, then jumped to the stern and seized the tiller. He put the Elea nor square at the reef. "Over with ye!’’ he shouted to old Nels. "Over and make the sand spit—ye can wade it!" Just then she struck, came free, struck again with a rending smash and stayed where she was. Bowery leaned forward and threw the en gine into neutral, then came up and gripped the arm of Nels. “Over, or I’ll throw ye!" he roared. Nels scrambled outboard and with his weight gone the boat lifted. Bow ery threw in the clutch and she be gan to forge ahead though sbe was taking in water fast from the crash. Nels gained his footing and scrambled toward the spit of sand, and the boat slid off into deep water and headed out into the channel welter. Straight south across the bow of the Icelander's boat Bowery held it, while the waves thundered down, and broke over It with every crash ing impact of the bow. Bowery hung a tarpaulin over the engine. "Better man than I am, hey?" he yelled. "Prove it, ye yellow-haired devil!" The larger boat drove straight for him while be still headed down across its bow The only opening aboard her was aft, where Gisli Gislison sat at the tiller. The two boats held steady, un swerving, while up before Bowery rose a veil of driving mist as the whirl of the flywheel churned up the rising water. The larger craft hurled down at him, and suddenly above her box appeared the yellow hair of Gislison, he standing with foot on tiller and looking ahead of him, since from below he could not see under her bow. Not 40 feet of water held the two boats apart, and the Icelander's boat was headed to strike the Eleanor fair amidships for Gislison would give no warning of his intent. • Then, holding his upper body un moving. Bowery slid out his foot through the sloshing water, and when his toes touched the clutch lever, he shoved with all the strength in him. That reversed the engine: checking the boat's speed and pulling her hack, and at the same Instant Gisllaon swung tiller with his foot to strike the Eleanor astern and send Bowery under with her. At that play the Icelander lost. The Eleanor seemed to jump back ward under his very eyes; then the bow of his boat rose above it on a sea and came down upon her gun nel. and the open boat rolled with the crash, but drove its engine Into the bow of the other and ripped the planks out. Bow.ry Gallagher was not under that how as the Icelander wanted him. for the crash came forward of Murder Is Now a Safe Trade, Records Show --By JACK ( AKRKKKV W here is the old time detective of fiction—Holmes, Kennedy and farter? "Vacationing.” Bay American in surance men through their official organ, announcing the murder rec ord for the United States: "Murder has indeed become a safe trade,” the investigators for the leading insurance companies of the country charge. They point to the figures they hsve compiled, showing the murder rate to be 9 for every 100,000 popu lation. But, say the inaurance men through their Joint official publica tion. "The Spectator,” it is not the number which alarms so much as it la the ease with which the mur derers appear to escape the law. Attention is called to the number of unsolved crimes of recent months. Statistics Compiled. Us ting the cities of the United States In the order of their per centage of murders for the 100,000 population, Memphis, Tenn , once more heads the Hat—ll.t per cent — 116 persona slain, "Beal street, with its negro popu lation.” is given as the cause of the high percentage. It is noted by the Insurance men that ths murder rate of the south far exceeds that of the north. l’ueblo. Colo., a steel town, with a heavy foreign population, cornea accond, with 16 2—16 murders In a year, while Nashville—another southern city—Is third, with 37 murders, making Its percentage SO.7. New Orleans la fourth—8.4 murders and a percentage of 21.1, and St. I.outs, with 134 murders and a per centage of IS.9, is fifth, mak ing up the first five. Few In New York. New York Is 34th on the lint, al though it had the greatest number of killing*— 317. This Is but 5* per cent. Chicago Is 14th, with 331 murders ami a percentage of 111. The t^aliforniu cities, although at tracting wide attention with the sensational killings of recent months, are well down In the list compared to the leader*. Ixis Angeles had 83 murders—a per centage of 12 9. and Is 10th. while San Diego, Its neighbor, has a per centage of 12 per 100,000 popula tion, with 10 murders against its record. San Francisco is 26th on thejist “42 murders and a percentage of 7.9. while Oakland, across the bay, had 18 murders, making its percent age 7.7. "The record," the Insurance men say, "reflects an attitude of law lessons* and indlfferenot^to human life without a parallel In the bis tory of civilized mankind. Much (rime Concealed. "The figures fall to show the true state of facta,” thr report con tlnuca, “for Increasingly clever method* of crime are being re sorted to and successfully hide the true fact* of many murders under the mask of 'aulclde' and ‘accident.’ "Crime, too," the Insurance men unite In saying, “la becoming more brutal And fewer crimes are being solved. "The Cronkhlte case—what has become of it? U any effort being mad< to find out who killed Doro thy Kennan? The murders of a Northwestern university student and another student at Kent. Con necticut. are unsolved. Who killed William Desmond Taylor? What about the murder of young Peters at White Plains, N. Y., and the Hall Mills murder, of New Bruns wick’ What about Herrin and Mer Rouge? Kill Willi Impunity. "Murder, indeed, has become a safe trade." the mouthpiece of the insurance men charges in conclu sion. 0 did not have a single murder in 1022. his seat, and be was in the air and leaping for the how of the larger boat, forward of her house. Bowery hauled himself over the rail and looked up to see the lew lander whirling at him with foot upraised. He took the kick, for be had to, and came to his feet witb hurt riba and a fiat flung out; a moment the two men stood in that little space of deck and swung at each other, while the boat drifted about in the trough of the sea and rolled under their feet, the bow slowly going down into the water. •'Better man than I am, hey?" paid Bowery, and laughed as ha struck. "Prove It, then”' A wave burst over their feet and legs. Startled by that, the Ice lander flung up his head, and a fierce look came into his cokl face as he saw they were going down; then he sickened Bowery with a cruel blow under the belt, turned, and went leaping toward the stern along the side of the box, and Bowery, staggering after him witb white lips. By now the rollers were bursting clean over the bow of the craft and in her lee floated the scattered life belts from the Eleanor, as Bowery had figured when be loosed them. Gislison disappeared under the box, and Bowery came at last to the opening. There is front of him was the Icelander, and beyond the figure of Mary Boyle, stunned and motion less. A net spread wide in ms nano*, Gislison came erect, a* he made to fling the net over Bowery. The net flew, but wide of its mark, for Bow ery let himself go feet first beneath It and kicked the Icelander’s legs from under him, himself falling across the hot cylinders of the en gine until his rib* were seared with the heat and he jerked himself clear. Barely in time was the jerk, for Gislison was erect and whirling on him, but Bowery kicked the feet from under the man once more and sent him sprawling across the tubs of nets and the Jong coils of line with the bloater hooks. In that instant Bowery caught at Mary, lifting her with one arm and scrambled back to the rising stern of the boat. What happened after that he was not sure, for around them swelled a black tide of water. But as he went he thought of the Icelander down below—and a laugh was on the Ups of him. The Danes’ boat came up. and they pulled Bowery out of tha water with Mary in his arms and a life belt clenched in his fingers; and, letting the boat drift, they rolled the water out of the two. Bowery was the first to come around, and he swung himself over, coughing, until he stood on his two feet. "What are ye waitin' for?" he said to the boys. "P'or the Icelander,” said Pete, squinting at him. With that. Bowery thought of the man down below, and the bloat er hooks, and the lacy nets spread out with the water. So he caught up the coiled line that was by him, and over the side he went, a laugh on his lips as he vanished. ' Mad, the boys thought him. and loud they curaed as the boat drifted in the fog and mist, and the wave* drove them. Then Bowery was up again, and reaching for the gunneL They dragged him in. and he so ex hausted that he could only grin at them snd jerk hts hand at t bo line. They pulled it in, and thera was a heavy weight on the end; and that same was Gisli Gislison. A full half hour it was before they brought the Icelander round. Bowery rose, and looked down at Mary, and saw the flush on her cheeks. Then he looked at the boya and his eyes twinkled. "tiff wtd ye?’ says he. "Turn her over. Well pick up Nela and go Imrk for chickens, not to mention a warm fire and a cup o’ hot coffee, and a tied for Gisli Gislison. Glory be. it's a fine day?' The boys stared at him. "Oraiy nallegher." said Ole. "Surer’ A great laugh bubbled on the lips of Bowery. "Sure! Tho Beaver Island Galleghers are all craxy! Bet's go. 1 told the priest I'd be taking the pledge tonight and I'd not keep him waiting ’’ Oprright. i»t». Games in the Middle Aces. Our forefathers did not at all be lie* e in all work and no play, writes Marjorie and C. H B. Quen nell in "A History* of Kveryday Things in Kngland." So we And in the middle agee that men and wom en played many games that now be long to children only. It must be remembered that traveling was both slow and dangerous. an,l vis iting, therefore, not to be lightly undertaken, as It is nowadays. Hooks were Very fe** and far be tween, and not within the reach of many, and at home, during the evenings, various occupations and amusements served to pass ths time. A new* explosive has been In vented. It is a preparation con sisting of sawdust nod ammonium nitrate, and It Is poasttds to mak* It sell at one-third the oat of com mercial dynamite, as neither of ths two principal materials I* rvpensive.